Thermoresponsive Glycopolymers Based on Enzymatically Synthesized Oligo-β-Mannosyl Ethyl Methacrylates and -Isopropylacrylamide.

We present here a series of thermoresponsive glycopolymers in the form of poly(-isopropylacrylamide)(2-[β-manno[oligo]syloxy] ethyl methacrylate)s. These copolymers were prepared from oligo-β-mannosyl ethyl methacrylates that were synthesized through enzymatic catalysis, and were subsequently investigated with respect to their aggregation and phase behavior in aqueous solution using a combination of H NMR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The thermoresponsive glycopolymers were prepared by conventional free radical copolymerization of different mixtures of 2-(β-manno[oligo]syloxy)ethyl methacrylates (with either one or two saccharide units) and -isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm).

Functionalization of Recombinant Amelogenin Nanospheres Allows Their Binding to Cellulose Materials.

Protein engineering to functionalize the self-assembling enamel matrix protein amelogenin with a cellulose binding domain (CBD) is used. The purpose is to examine the binding of the engineered protein, rh174CBD, to cellulose materials, and the possibility to immobilize self-assembled amelogenin nanospheres on cellulose. rh174CBD assembled to nanospheres ≈35 nm in hydrodynamic diameter, very similar in size to wild type amelogenin (rh174).